In Living Color
Decorative concrete enhances a landmark business district

The busy streets and parks in the heart of downtown Wauwatosa, Wisconsin reflect the area’s rich history. So when it came time to replace sidewalks and other nearby structures, city planners wanted beauty as well as durability.

“Many of the buildings here are more than a century old,” says Bob Kelly, street design engineer for this city of 45,000 residents just west of Milwaukee. “We were looking for a material that would complement the neighborhood’s character and unite historic buildings with newer amenities.”

Integrally colored concrete from Prairie Material proved the ideal choice, says Jeff Bush, concrete division manager for Willkomm Excavating of Union Grove. 

Willkomm crews are using the earth-toned mix for a series of downtown improvements. “After placing the concrete, we add an antiquing agent to give color variation,” Bush says. “Then we use special stamps that form the material to resemble Ashlar slate.”
 
Bringing the district together

With the sidewalks nearly complete, Willkomm workers will repave an 86-space parking lot and rebuild a pedestrian bridge that spans the Menomonee River, using the decorative mix to add design interest.  “We’re even using it to border the asphalt bike paths that run nearby,” Bush reports.

All told, the projects will incorporate 17,000 square feet of decorative paving – providing a visual theme that enlivens and unifies the area. 

Local business owners are delighted with the results, Bob Kelly reports. “Our local business association had a vote in the streetscape design, so Willkomm and Prairie created test slabs to show how the material would look on a larger scale,” he says. “The Ashlar slate pattern was the unanimous winner.”

A natural trend

The need for beauty, economy and durability all make decorative concrete a great choice for municipal projects. “We’re also seeing it in residential landscaping and commercial work,” says Jeff Bush. Willkomm crews have used the material to replace exposed-aggregate patios and walkways for several local McDonald’s restaurants.

“We expect to see more architects and contractors specifying decorative concrete, both indoors and out,” says Todd Schaller, general manager of Prairie’s operations in Wisconsin. “We have a wide palette of colors and stamping options, all backed by expert quality control to help every installation go smoothly.”